Curtain stretchers



Aug. 20, 1957 s. Ross` CURTAIN sTRETcHERs 2 `Sheets-Shee't l Filed NOV.30, 1955 INVENTORT 5c L OSS 47m/mfr;

Aug. zo, 1957 s. Ross 2,803,086

CURTAIN sTRETcHERs Filed Nov. so, 195s 2 sheets-,sheet 2 /11 vll/14- /11I A lo a-a/ lo: l @l :#1 13, l I I 5l 5o 7 v 1NVENTOR.

' BY Sol.. ROSS CURTAIN STRETCHERS Sol Ross, Cleveland, Ohio ApplicationNovember 30, 1953, Serial No. 395,046'

A 1 claim. (ci. 415-24) My invention relates to curtain stretchers andrelates more particularly to curtain stretchers used for stretchingcurtains after laundering and during the drying thereof.

It is an object of my invention to provide a stretcher of the typereferred to whereby any desired tension may be exerted upon the curtainandan even tension exerted upon all portions thereof.

Another object of my invention is to provide a stretcher of thecharacter described which may be folded when not in use and which, whenfolded, occupies the minimum amount of space.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a stretcher of thecharacter described which will not exert upon any particular portion ofthe curtain more stretch than upon any other portion so that the edgesmay be maintained perfectly straight during drying.

A further object of myinvention is to provide a curtain stretcher of thetype referred to which will be inexpensive to manufacture, beingcomposed of but few parts, economical and highly efficient in use.

Other objects of my invention and the invention itself will become morereadily apparent by reference to the body of this specication and theaccompanying drawings, in which drawings:

Fig. l is a top elevational View of the device applied to a curtain;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view showning the operative position of thestretcher;

Fig. 3 is a View taken through the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the curtain bars shown in Fig. l;

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are diagrammatic views of the stretcher frame of myinvention showing successive folding operations.

Referring now to the drawings in all of which like parts are designatedby like reference characters, the v frame is composed of four bars 11,12, 13 and 14, each of which is provided with a plurality of openings11a, 12a, 13a and 14a for purposes to be later described herein. Saidapertures are preferably evenly spaced and identically spaced in each ofthe bars, as shown. Wing nuts or like fasteners 15 are provided tosecure the -bar 11 to bars 12 and 14 and to secure bar 13 to bars 12 and14. The wing nuts may be alternatively used in any of the apertures inorder to lengthen or shorten the same depending upon the size of thecurtain 20, for which the operator may be employing the stretcher.Obviously the same adjustment should preferably be made on either sidein moving the wing nuts on the bars from one position to another.

Each of the .bars 11, 12, 13 and 14 are preferably made of wood and areadapted to have wood screws 21 fastened thereto at spaced intervals, asshown in Figs. 1 and 3. The screws are provided with hook end portions22 which are provided for the purpose of receiving links 23 adapted tobe secured at their opposite ends to spring means 24 which are adaptedto be secured to clamp means 25 anchoring the same within an aperture26thereof.

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The particular fastening means may beA of any preferred form so long asextensible means similar to the link 23 are provided for the purpose ofproviding `different adjustments and tensions which may be measured andaccurately determined.

Clamping means 25, preferably of metallic material, having a pair ofwidened spring clamping ends 27, 27 are provided which arev adapted tocompressively hold a p air of flat curtain holding members 30 and 31preferably formed of wood and placed on each of the sides of the. curtain 20 at the edge thereof. The stretcher holding members 30 may berelatively long, as shown inl Fig. 1 at; the opposite ends of thelcurtain and adapted to have a plurality, as forA example three innumber, spring clamping elements 25 associated therewith, or may berelatively short, as shown at either side of the curtain, or as shown inFig. l at the top and bottom of the cura tain, and adapted to have onlya pair of clamping elements 25 associated therewith. The length of theholding members may be varied as desired.

In either case, the only contact with the curtain being stretched is hadby the at members 30 and 31 which are disposed on either side of alledges thereof as shown.

Flat brace members 40 preferably of metal are preferably provided whichare screw threaded to each of the corners of the frame 1G to assist inbracing and maintaining the frame in its operative generally rectangularposition With the adjacent frame sides thereof disposed at right anglesto each other.

The folded position of the frame is best illustrated in Figs. 5, 6 and 7hereof and the folding is accomplished by the loosening or removal ofone of several wing nuts 15 from a corner of the frame, a loosening ofthe other Wing nuts 15 and the folding of the bars 11, 12, 13 and 14upon each other, as shown.

The legs and 51 disposed at either side of the frame are also adapted tobe folded as shown in Fig. 7 or extended as shown in Fig. 2 and the sameare pivotally secured as at 52 to the frame and are connected by ahinged bar 53 adjacent their mid-portions so that the extension possibleof said legs is restricted to the width of the bar 53 and the bar 53acts as a brace for the leg supports for the frame.

In use, the frame is assembled by tightening the Wing nuts 15, the bracemembers 40, and spreading the legs 59 and 51 apart to the fullest extentmade by the bar 53. The frame 10 is then disposed horizontally, as shownin Fig. 5.

In this operative position, a plurality of the clamps 25 secured by thespring or tension members 24 and screw means 21 to the `bars 11, 12, 13and 14 dangle or hang from the said bars.

To place the curtain to be stretched on the stretcher described, thehousewife will take a laundered damp curtain and place a pair of flatmembers 3l) on either side of one edge of the curtain. She then placesthe clamping members 25 over the said pair of at members, as shown inFig. l, and then proceeds to place a pair of flat members on the otheredges of the curtain and to clamp the same, as aforesaid.

To secure -a uniform tension, the link means are secured to the screwhook end 22 by the same link, whether this be link a to afford lesstension or d to attain maximum tension. To adjust the tension otherlinks, as for example b, c etc., in the link means 23 are used butconsistently the same link should be used in each of the clampingmembers to attain uniform tension.

Although I have described my invention in connection with a preferredembodiment thereof, I am aware that numerous and extensive departuresmay be made therefrom without however departing from the spirit of myinvention or the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

In a curtain stretcher or like device, a rectangular member `comprisedof four ilat frame elements, a plurality of spaced apertures disposed ineach of said frame elements, securing means adapted to secure said frameelements together by means of the selection of any of the said apertureswherefore the frame may enclose various size curtains, fastening meanscomprising hook means, a plurality of link means, spring means and clampmeans, said hook means being secured to said link means, said link meansbeing secured to said spring means, and said spring means being securedto said clamp means, said hook means are adapted to be fastened to thesides of said frame elements, a pair of flat members of less length thanthe full extended assembled length of the said frame adapted to bedisposed over each of the sides of a curtain to be stretched, said clampmeans adapted to be 'clamped over said flat members and exerting spring.tension thereon, each of said link means adapted to .be secured by thesame link to exert uniform tension upon said curtain.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS LudwigMay 29, King Nov. l1, Kuehn May 29, Colton June 15, Hearn Oct. 22,Ballard Dec. 7, Megahan Mar. 21, Bush Sept. 11, Kott Jan. 31, ZalkindOct. 13, Unwin Mar. 30, Adamson Nov. 1,

FOREIGN PATENTS Germany Nov. 14, Germany July 8, Great Britain Nov. 18,Great Britain Feb. 24,

